On the second morning of the first Test match between India and New Zealand in Bengaluru, it was New Zealand’s potent pace attack, rather than the weather, that emerged as the defining factor of the day. After torrential rain had disrupted proceedings on the opening day, the spotlight swiftly moved to the visitors’ fast bowlers who seized control of the match on a seam-friendly pitch. William O’Rourke and Matt Henry exhibited their skill and prowess, guiding New Zealand with remarkable figures of 3-13 and 2-12 respectively. Rohit Sharma, the Indian captain, might have rued his decision to bat first under such challenging conditions.
New Zealand’s seamers were effective in exploiting both swing and seam movement from the outset. It was Matt Henry, in alliance with the experienced Tim Southee, who established an early grip on the Indian batting lineup. They kept the Indian openers under severe pressure, evidenced by the numerous plays and misses from Rohit Sharma and Yashasvi Jaiswal. The mere survival tactics from the Indian openers weren’t enough, as it was Tim Southee who eventually triumphed by dismissing Rohit Sharma. The delivery, a cunning nip-backer, deceived the Indian skipper and disrupted his timber, resulting in a big early breakthrough for New Zealand.
William O’Rourke, who had recently impressed on the Sri Lankan tour, continued his rich vein of form and stamped his authority on the game shortly after Southee’s success. In an electrifying first over, O’Rourke’s pace and tactical acumen came to the fore as his nip-backer proved too disconcerting for Virat Kohli. Attempting to fend off the delivery, Kohli only managed a low catch to the sharp-eyed Glenn Phillips positioned at leg gully. Phillips executed the catch with precision, further unsettling the Indian batting order.
Adding to the Kiwi dominance in the field was Devon Conway’s spectacular one-handed catch at mid-off, which dismissed Sarfaraz Khan for a duck and left India trembling at 10/3.
. In hopes of altering the tide, Rishabh Pant walked in at number five, ahead of the more measured KL Rahul. Pant’s approach was decidedly more aggressive, as he tried to counterattack against New Zealand’s consistent lines and lengths, even attempting a risky reverse sweep. While luck briefly favored him when Tom Blundell dropped a catch, the rain-induced break thereafter appeared to rejuvenate New Zealand’s attack.
On resumption, Ajaz Patel’s impressive fielding resulted in Jaiswal’s wicket, further deepening India’s woes as lunch approached. Buoyed by their fielding efforts, New Zealand’s bowlers continued to chip away at the Indian lineup. It wasn’t long before KL Rahul fell victim to O’Rourke’s strategically set leg trap, and Ravindra Jadeja’s careless flick offered a straightforward chance to Ajaz Patel at backward point.
Finding themselves at a precarious 34/6, with four of their top seven batsmen dismissed for ducks—a first in their home Test history—India’s session bordered on nightmarish. The prevailing conditions highlighted just how crucial losing the toss could be, providing New Zealand with an ideal scenario to exploit. As the day unfolded, India’s chances hinged largely on Pant’s capability to forge a recovery alongside a lower order lacking depth.
In summary, New Zealand exerted dominance on a day tailor-made for bowlers, overshadowing an Indian side that struggled to cope with seamer-friendly conditions. The visitors, displaying masterclass in both bowling and fielding, effectively dictated the pace of the game. For India, the emphasis remained on finding a pathway to salvage their innings, particularly in terms of avoiding an embarrassing collapse in front of their home crowd. As things stood, New Zealand’s formidable bowling unit set the stage for what promises to be a gripping contest.
/Brief scores: India 34/6 (Rishabh Pant 15*; William O’Rourke 3-13, Matt Henry 2-12) vs New Zealand.